layers of existence
- “know thyself”
- some dead fucker
- five layered (pancha-kosha) human existence
- annamaya kosha (matter layer)
- praanamaya kosha (life force layer)
- manomaya kosha (thoughts, emotions and feelings layer)
- vijnaanamaya kosha (conscience layer)
- aanandamaya kosha (bliss layer)
- spectrum
- 1: most gross
- 3: creative center
- 5: most subtle
- ‘kosha’
- literally means ‘container’
- also may be read as ‘layer’ in this context
1/ annamaya kosha
- this is the pancha bhoota layer
- the pancha bhootas are
- prithvi (earth/solids)
- jala/aapa (water/liquids)
- agni (fire)
- vaayu (air/wind)
- aakaasha (sky/outer space)
- these spirits in the human body are nourished by the food consumed
translation and interpretation
- ‘anna’
- literally means ‘food’ or ‘rice grains’
- in this context, more aptly, ‘matter’
- ‘maya’
- literally means ‘full of’ or ‘made of’
- not to be confused with ‘maaya’, which stands for illusion
- ‘annamaya kosha’
- literally means ‘container full of food’
- matter based aspect of a human’s physical personality
- ‘pancha’
- (of) five (kinds)
- ‘bhoota’
- literally ‘spirit’
- also may be read as the ‘underlying concept’ in this context
characteristics
- everything in the universe is made up of matter or ‘anna’
- common principle of external universe
- this layer is the primary matter layer of existence
- the grossest of the five koshas
- concepts that are bound by energy laws reside within
- the layer of materialist’s validation
function
- forms the physical framework for the pancha-koshas
- layer of physical reality where the fruit of all processes from higher layers manifest
- everything in the universe
- comes of out matter,
- is sustained by matter, and
- dissolved back into matter
- atoms conglomerate to form various chemicals
- atoms > molecules > cells > tissues > organs > organism
- atoms form hormones on human body via various permutations and combinations
- responsible for flow of electricity
2/ praanamaya kosha
- praana literally means ‘life force’
- this is the layer of the pancha praana
- i.e. 5 (five) life forces
- the 5 life forces are
- apaana (downward exertion)
- praana (cyclic breathing forces)
- udaana (upward forces)
- samaana (balancing praana and apaana)
- vyaana (periphery balance)
- these five praanas are the dimensions of a main praana called
- mukhya praana
- this mukhya praana flows through the nadi system
- which are subtle channels in the human body
translation and interpretation
- ‘praana’ literally means ‘life’
characteristics
- praana is the basic fabric layer built around the annamaya kosha’s matter framework
- both inside and outside the human body
- a balance between the five dimensions of mukhya praana is good health
- and an imbalance is ill health and sickness
function
- the annamaya kosha comes out of the praanamaya kosha in the human being
- can increase or decrease itself without any external agency
- without praana, a human body is just gross matter
- it is said to be lifeless
- a harmonious flow of praana to each and every cell of the body’s annamaya kosha keeps them healthy
- mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell
- praana flows on demand to different parts of the body, based on current activity
- i.e. swimming vs. studying
- different amount of praana are needed by different parts of the body during these activities
- apaana is for downward activities like
- passing stool
- urination
- menstruation
- ejaculation
- parturition (child birth)
- praana is for cyclical activities like
- breathing
- udaana is for upward activities like
- vomiting
- samaana is for digestion
- vyaana is for peripheral activities like
- nerve impulses
- blood circulation
- cellular activity
- too less praana means unresponsive organs
- too much praana means wreaking havoc in the functionality of the organ in the annamaya kosha layer
3/ manomaya kosha
- is the mind layer of existence
- personality of the mind
- hive mind function
- group think tendencies
- has three primary function
- perception (manah)
- memory (citta)
- ego (aham-kara/ID generator)
translation and interpretation
- manas means mind
- manomaya means
- the container full of mind
characteristics
- “you are what your think you are”
- the basis of all creation
- the basis of an individual
- the conglomeration of all thoughts of a personality
- the mental and emotional library
- a layer of existence more subtler than the two previously discussed
- recycled thoughts in the mind (manas) leads to emotions and feelings
- emotion is the root cause of all joys and sorrows of human existence
- and ego identification to those emotions amplify either
- creative power predominates
function
- manas responds to input through sense organs
- thoughts are rapidly recycled in the mind
- which gathers momentum to generate emotions (‘bhavana’ pl. bhavane)
- this momentum is characterized by feelings such as
- likes and dislikes
- love or hate
- backed by heavy identification to emotions and feelings generated since ego generation happens in this layer
- when emotions gain too much momentum
- acts performs under the influence of such emotions
- might go against one’s own personal laws
- set by the more foundational annamaya kosha and praanamaya kosha
- this leads to aadhi (stress)
- prolonged stress causes vyadi in the praanamaya and annamaya kosha
4/ vijnaanamaya kosha
-
the fourth most subtle layer of existence
- the layer of knowledge
- at both personal level, influencing the individual personality
- and the universal level, extending to gross and subtle layers of existence
- the second, inner mind that instructs the manomaya kosha about right and wrong
translation and interpretation
- vijnaana
- literally means science
- but contextually, the temperament of science and the associated wisdom
characteristics
- the conscience of the second mind that continuously guide
- to do or not to perform an act
- the free-will element for human beings
- the component of mind that delineates human beings from animal beings
- this layer is a higher faculty present in humans to guide mastery over basic instincts
- all of the basic instincts of the first three gross layers of existence are all psychological
- while manomaya kosha brings out the spectrum between likes and dislikes
- the vijnaanamaya kosha is the discriminating faculty that drives one towards sukha (happiness)
- power of discernment and discrimination predominates
function
- this is the free-will and the freedom element that guides
- in choosing wisely across all the myriad of choice spectrums presented by the manomaya kosha
- the choice spectrums being
- good and bad
- like and dislike
- useful and not useful
- love and hate
- the last layer to hold the “I” consciousness or identity factor
- identity of a human is held in choices made between the
- the manomaya kosha and praanamaya kosha
5/ aanandamaya kosha
- the basic subtle building blocks of everything
- the bliss layer of existence
translation and interpretation
- aananda literally means bliss
characteristics
- most subtle layer of existence
-
devoid of emotions
- bliss reigns supreme
- highest state of evolution in manifested existence
function
- imparts
- complete harmony
- perfect health
- bliss and contentment
- comparable to ‘hygge’
method
- pancha kosha viveka
- knowing through experience, one’s own five koshas of existence
- ‘know thyself’
- by ‘tapas’, a human transforms by gradually being relieved from the bondages and constrictions of each kosha
- ‘tapas’ literally means meditating on one particular thing for focus
